Back on the wagon

Hey folks! This is my first post since I deleted my 5k training blog and merged it with this one. Woo hoo?

I can't believe it's August already. Summer is practically over. Yeah, I'm a glass half empty kinda person. Summer has been pretty uneventful for us. No Caribbean vacation for us this summer which totally sucks. I haven't even made it to the pool but one time. I would blame it on being too busy but I'd be lying. The reason why I haven't gone to the pool is because going to the pool would require that I wear a swim suit. And I definitely don't want to do that! Why, you ask? Because I'm probably the only idiot on the planet who has managed to gain weight DURING THE SUMMER! I feel disgusted and disgusting. There is no excuse. I've just been lazy. And when I don't workout at all, my body rebels. It's not like I'm eating tons of food. But ever since I hit 35, my metabolism has shut down. I could eat the daily recommended calories or less, not workout and STILL gain weight. But if I eat the same way and exercise, I maintain my weight. So what the hell do I need to do to lose? Starve? I'm starting to think that's the case.

I started working out again last week after my unplanned hiatus. I was super out of shape and when I was done, I was super sore. I attempted to workout to the week 1 5k running podcast and I thought I was going to have a heart attack I was breathing so hard. That's not good. Not good at all. I'm going to keep working out, eating healthy, drinking my H2O and hope that the scale starts budging. I'm also going to schedule an appointment with my doctor. I need to get a physical just to make sure there's not something else going on with my body that's got it acting all weird. Oh! Forgot to mention - my migraines are BACK! after not having regular migraines for 2 years! I now have one every two to three weeks. Not normal. Not appreciated. I'm having sleeping issues and my skin is breaking out. I'm wondering if I'm experiencing menopause? Isn't everything tied to our hormones? All I know is my body is a mess and I need somebody to fix it.

I know - TMI. But that's how I roll (sometimes).

I'm back to square one with the 5k running. Boo! I'm still all about The Chubby Jones podcast to workout to. It's fun and the music is great.

Anyway, I will try to post more often. I know it's been mad sporadic on this side of the world but my goal is to remedy that.

I still have pics from the 4th of July I need to upload. Yep, I suck.

Catch y'all on the flip side!

Back to the starting line

This week I made the decision to backtrack and start my 5k training from the beginning. This morning I trained starting with the week 1 Chubby Jones podcast. I figured since I haven't been consistenly training since December, I'm not at the level I should be. And I don't want to injure myself by trying to do too much. That said, I'm glad I made that decision. I huffed and puffed during the 1 minute interval runs this morning. It's amazing how it's like I never did any training. So I'm back at the starting line but I'm okay with that.

I'm also training for the 2 day Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. We'll see how successful I am with intermingling my walk training with my 5k training.

To visit my page and make a donation, click on this link: http://www.avonwalk.org/goto/Marquetta

Thanks for your support!

Week 4 - Update #2

This week I'm going to continue working out to Week 4 podcast. I dragged myself out of a warm bed this morning and went to the gym. It was 4:30am and 29 degrees when I got in my car. My leather seats were cold, my steering wheel was freezing and I had frost on my windows. Morning workouts during this time of the year totally sucks. But I did it and I'm proud of myself.

I still haven't bought new/better running socks. I'm afraid of the stores/malls. Crazy people are out there doing their Christmas shopping. I just don't have the patience to deal with the crowds and the craziness. I may end up ordering them online. I believe that's the only way I will be able to keep my sanity.

I also started back to weight training. Weight training (strength training - whatever you want to call it) is essential for weight loss and preventing injury. Today I trained chest and back. I'm sure I'll be feeling the soreness by tonight. I may have went a little overboard.

This week's motivational word: CONSISTENCY

p.s. The last 5 minute run kicks my ass! The only time I don't look forward to the end of a workout. :-)

Week 4

Hello! I'm still here. There hasn't been anything new to report. I've been sporadically training. A couple of weeks ago I hurt my ankle. I don't know how. I just know after getting off the treadmill, my left ankle started paining. I went home and iced it up. I probably should have soaked it instead. The following week I trained one day only. My ankle felt fine while I was on the treadmill but the moment I stopped, it would start hurting again. I don't know what's wrong with it. I'm still have the same issue as of today but I choose to ignore it. I'm sure that's not a good idea and may end up regretting it later.

This week I started the Chubby Jones Week 4 podcast. I don't like this one that much. The music sucks and the sound quality is terrible. I can barely hear the host, Mia, when she's cueing for the next run. I'll stick it out though because I am not ready for week 5.

Here's the Week 4 workout:
5 min warm-up
90 second walk
5 min run/jog
90 sec walk
3 min run/jog
90 sec walk
5 min run/jog
5 min cool-down

This totally kicked my butt this morning. I enjoyed it. I just wish the music was better. During the podcast Mia did admit she didn't pick the best music. Let's hope she has her act together for week 5.

Today is December 1st. 2009 is almost over and I haven't run in any 5k races yet. Will I be able to run a 5k before we ring in the New Year? Who knows? Time will tell. I have 30 days to figure it out.

1 week down, many more to go!

This week I've consistently trained using The Chubby Jones Couch to 5k podcast. I like it SO much more than the Podrunner podcast. During each workout Mia Jones is training right along side you. And I love that! When she interrupts the music to cue the next running or walking segment, she's just as out of breath as I am. It feels like she's on the treadmill next to you.

I started Tuesday with the week one training. It started off pretty slow with walking for 2 minutes and running for 1 minute. The entire workout was 25 minutes. On Thursday my intention was to do week 1 again. My iTunes and iPod had other ideas. I forgot that I have my podcasts set to erase once I've listened to them. So week one was gone. Oh well. I'm far enough along with my previous training that moving onto week 2 won't be a big deal. And it wasn't. Week 2 interval training upped the running to 90 seconds and the walking portion stayed at 2 minutes. It was a great workout. I was feeling good.

I made sure I changed my podcast setting so that it won't automatically erase any episodes that I've listened to.

Today I go to the gym, ready to train again with the Week 2 podcast. Apparently my settings change did not take because Week 2 was missing from my playlist. So I jump to Week 3. I'm not so sure I'm ready for Week 3 but I didn't have a choice if I wanted to get in my last training for the week.  Week 3 was tough but I huffed and puffed through it. This is what Week 3 training looked like:

5 minute warm-up
90 second run
90 second walk
3 minute run
3 minute walk
3 minute run
3 minute walk
90 second run
5 minute cool down

The 3 minute runs where kicking my behind but the final 90 second run at the end had my legs on fire! I was so happy when she counted down to 1 and said that it's now time to cool down. I wanted to shout "Hallelujah!". To insure that week 3 isn't deleted I marked it as unwatched.  I plan on using Week 3 for next week's training.

I feel good.  I'm glad I got through this first week. There were many times I wanted to talk myself out of going to the gym but I told myself to shut the hell up!  I'm so glad I listened.

Until next week....

Starting from scratch

I have been consistently inconsistent with my 5k training. I've experience a range of emotions from excitement to frustration and finally to disillusionment.  I was ready to give it up completely. One of my goals for 2009 was to run a 5k race. It's October. There's no way I'm going to be able to achieve my goal. I was ready to delete the running podcasts and playlists from my iPod and be done with it.

Friday night hubby and I went to a comedy show at the DC Improv. While standing in line waiting to enter the show, we ran into friends. The husbands were friends/former co-workers. The wife and I knew each other through our husbands. Anyway, they were talking about leaving the following morning to go to San Francisco. The wife has been training all year to run in a half marathon - 13.1 miles. She was so excited about her achievement and said that her goal was to finish it in 3 hours. The husband participated in his first Triathlon over the summer and plans on competing in another. While they both talked about their achievements, I saw the excitement on their faces. And I was jealous. I'm thinking to myself she's about to complete a half marathon and her husband has completed a triathlon and I can't consistently train for a stinkin' 5k (3.2 miles). What the hell?

The wife suggested that I train with her next year. She said it's hard but she enjoyed herself and she was proud of herself for sticking with it. The following four words made me decide to get off my ass FOR REAL! She said to me "You should do it." And I thought to myself  I should. There's no reason why I shouldn't.

I downloaded a new running podcast called The Chubby Jones. I've only worked out to it once so far (this morning) but I think I'm going to like this better than the Podrunner podcasts. The narrator is Mia Jones and she's actually running and training right along with you. She cues you when it's time to speed it up and start running and when to slow it down and walk. The music is pretty good. I love it. It feels like I have a virtual training buddy.

I'm eyeing a 5k that I want to run in the next month or so.

I will get there!